Kathmandu to Pokhara Travel Options: Flight, Bus or Private Car

Pokhara, a must see place if you are visiting Nepal. This beautiful city is well known for its natural highlights, Himalayan sceneries, lake views, adventurous activities, local cultural insights and mainly tourists go there as it is also the starting point of many popular treks in Annapurna region including Annapurna base camp, Poonhill, Jomsom Muktinath, Upper Mustang  and other hiking adventures. Similarly, huge gorges, waterfalls and rivers with other attractions attracts domestic as well as international tourists from all over the world. Here, in this blog, we will be sharing the travel information that you would like to know if you are planning to give a visit Pokhara/Nepal adventures sooner or later from Kathmandu.

Boarding Kathmandu to Pokhara domestic flight 

Quick Information on Kathmandu - Pokhara Flight

Domestic flight in Kathmandu – Pokhara route operates on daily basis starting from 8 am in the morning to around 4 pm in afternoon by three different domestic airlines company. Buddha air, Yeti Air and Simrik air are popular airlines flying in this route. Flight is the fastest way (25 minutes to be exact) to enter Pokhara city.

If you have chosen to fly from Kathmandu to Pokhara, another thing that you need to keep in mind is baggage weight limit. You can have 20 kilograms of luggage with extra 7 kilogram of hand carry with you. Therefore, you are requested to arrange and do the packing according to weight limit. Extra weight causes you to pay extra and even flight delay, misplacement in many cases.

How much is the Kathmandu to Pokhara flight fare? 

The flight ticket rates are fixed and don’t change daily. All of the domestic flight fares including Pokhara remains constant and changes according to change in fuel cost. The rates varies according to Airlines Company however, the difference is negligible. Flight tickets also vary according to travel agency.

The flight fares are classified into for Nepali/Indians and for Other foreign nationals. It costs 4800 Nepali rupees for one way ticket for Nepali/Indian citizens while   125 USD for foreign nationals per passenger. If you book through travel agencies, then you will get few discount too.

How and with who to book the flight ticket to Pokhara? 

You can directly go to respective airlines website and book your flight from Kathmandu to Pokhara over there. Or smart choice would be booking through reputed local travel agency like Icicles Adventure, where everything can be included in trip price before hand and you do not need to worry about anything from flight tickets, pickup drops, accommodation, meals, guides and all other services at competitive price.

Tourist Bus Services from Kathmandu to Pokhara 

Taking a bus from Kathmandu to Pokhara is the most popular and common option for passengers. It is also the most economical transportation available. There are many bus transportation companies running bus services in Kathmandu- Pokhara route. From local bus to tourist bus, you can choose the one that fits your interest.

Where is the Tourist Bus station in Kathmandu departing to Pokhara?

Everyday at Kantipath, Jamal area in central Kathmandu, we can see queue of tourist buses departing for Pokhara. Kantipath is just 10- 15 minutes walk from Thamel. This site can be easily located on map or you can ask any local people for direction to get there.

What time the Tourist Bus departs from Kathmandu to Pokhara? 

Usually, you should be at bus stop half an hour before 7 am in the morning. Even if you miss, there are other options like local bus, or on a private vehicle.

How much is the bus fare from Kathmandu to Pokhara? 

The rate of tourist bus varies from one service provider to another. But usually it is between 8USD to 15 USD for standard tourist bus and 15USD to 25USD for deluxe tourist buses with facilities like free wifi, air conditioning, even lunch, and refrigerator along with toilet. This tourist bus might be the best option for most of the travelers as it is economical, safe and takes you to destination is just about 6-7 hours depending on road traffic conditions.

Catching a Local Bus from Kathmandu to Pokhara 

Another option to get into Pokhara from Kathmandu is by local bus that departs from New buspark at Gongabu via Kalanki bus stop in Kathmandu. Kalanki is the major road entry border of Kathmandu from where you can catch the local bus/ micro van(Toyota Hiace) to Pokhara. These local bus and micro bus departs almost every hour and you can catch almost any time of the day from 6 am in the morning to 5pm in the evening. It costs approximately 500 Nepali rupees per passenger.

Traveling from Kathmandu to Pokhara on a Private Car 

After flight and bus, another available option to travel from Kathmandu to Pokhara is on a private car. You can hire a private car with reputed local travel agencies and transport service companies. Private car will be on hire along with driver and cost varies according to vehicle model, brand and capacity. Usually a one way from Kathmandu to Pokhara on private car costs above 100USD. But we recommend to hire on a two way basis and it is a best choice if you are looking for couple of days touring beautiful city of Pokhara on a private departure.